The present invention relates generally to communications systems, and more particularly, to a system and method for electronically identifying all connections established through a cross-connect system.
Cross-connect systems are widely used in the telecommunications industry to effect signal line connections between various types of communications equipment managed by different information service providers. Within a central office or exchange environment, for example, tens of thousands of information signal lines from a first communications equipment facility must be connected to respective signal lines from a second communications equipment facility in a manner that provides for a high degree of connection reliability. To this end, industry-standard cross-connect systems typically utilize highly-reliable passive connection devices, often termed cross-connect circuits, to effect the required signal line connections. In a typical application, a pair of cross-connect circuits are used to connect a single signal line of a first equipment facility with a single signal line of a second equipment facility.
Identifying the specific location and determining the status of all cross-connected circuits within a central office has heretofore required varying degrees of manual intervention, such as manually tracing a hard-wired or temporary patch connection in an effort to identify the location of the cross-connect circuits terminating opposing ends of each connection. It can be readily appreciated that manually acquiring connection information and updating this information on a regular basis represents a sizable and costly challenge.
It would appear that introducing active electronic components within the information signal paths would provide the opportunity to implement a cost effective and efficient means of acquiring connection information for a cross-connect system. A number of proposed prior art solutions require the introduction of active electronics into the information signal paths in order to effect transmissions between cross-connected circuits. Various time-sharing and frequency multiplexing schemes have been proposed that require sharing of the information signal paths, in terms of transmission time or frequency bandwidth, which necessarily require the implementation of a collision detection and resolution scheme in order to reduce the likelihood of disturbing information signal transmissions over the connections.
Introducing active components into the information signal circuit paths, however, has proven to systemically reduce the overall reliability of certain cross-connect systems to unacceptable levels. The possibility of information signal disruption and the possible malfunction or failure of the active electronics within the information signal conductivity path has prompted most, if not all, manufacturers of cross-connect systems to exclusively use passive cross-connect components within the information signal path. Although passive connection devices provide a requisite level of reliability, such passive devices significantly complicate the effort of developing a fully automatic, electronic implementation for identifying the location and status of all cross-connected circuits and connections established through a central office. The present invention provides such an implementation.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for electronically identifying connections established through a cross-connect system. The present invention provides for the identification of all hard-wired and temporary patch connections, and any modifications made to existing cross-connect circuit connections. Connection identification and status information is acquired in near real-time and stored in a database which is accessible by a user through a graphical user interface (GUI).
TRACE or lamp wires, which are connected between respective pairs of cross-connect circuits in accordance with a standard industry practice, are utilized in an unconventional manner so as to form a scanning bus. The information signal paths established through the cross-connect circuits remain undisturbed. A scanning signal is communicated between each pair of cross-connected circuits over the TRACE conductor. In the event a patch cord is used to temporarily redirect a signal connection, the scanning signal is transmitted over the shield or sleeve conductor of the patch cord, the patch cord shield thus being incorporated as part of the overall scanning bus. The scanning signal provides identification and other information concerning the transmitting circuit.
A circuit receiving the scanning signal communicates its identification information and that of the transmitting circuit derived from the scanning signal to a central computer. The identification information acquired by the central computer from all receiving cross-connect circuits provides identification and status information for all circuits within the cross-connect system. In one embodiment, all circuits of a cross-connect system are scanned and identification information acquired in the time required to transmit a single cross-connect circuit ID bit string, irrespective of the total number of cross-connect circuits included within the cross-connect system.
Various types of information concerning each connection established within a cross-connect system is maintained in a database and updated in near real-time so as to reflect the current state of all circuit connections. A graphical user interface cooperates with the database to provide a user the ability to access connection records of interest, to visually display simulated depictions of selected connections, and to generate a variety of reports derived from the connection information maintained in the database. The graphical user interface may also be used to guide a technician to specific circuit locations to effect repairs, establish a new connection or redirect an existing connection through use of a patch cord.
A xe2x80x9cpatch pendingxe2x80x9d file may be created which indicates various connections or disconnections to be effected by a technician to accomplish a particular objective. A patch pending file typically contains information identifying the specific sequence by which patch cord installation or removal is to be accomplished. When executed, the patch pending file may control multi-colored TRACE LEDs of specified circuits as a means of visually directing the work of a technician when establishing and breaking cross-connections.
A patch pending file may also be created to provide information concerning contingent or back-up connections that may be established in the event of a network outage. Such a patch pending file may identify important circuits which require immediate restoration during temporary or extended outages. Upon occurrence of an actual system outage, an appropriate patch pending file may be selected and executed to implement an efficient, coordinated patching procedure for restoring key circuits.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Advantages and attainments, together with a more complete understanding of the invention, will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.